Very Grand Gestures
by seomensnowlocke
Summary: The final battle is over. Harry returns to Hogwarts while eluding Ministry detention to make a Very Grand Gesture to Ginny. Little does he know that Ron may steal his thunder...


Harry searched desperately in the crowd for Ginny. He knew that all non-graduating students and guests had to leave the dormitories by 8:00 AM the next day. He also knew that if he did not find Ginny, he would not have a chance to do this again for a long time… and he may never get the courage up again.

Even though the Ministry of Magic was attempting to "detain" Harry at St. Mungo's, the Auror Training Excursion (A.T.E.) was starting the next day, and he was going to be there. They could come find him and try and wrap him up there if they wanted to, but he dared them to try.

"A.T.E." was simply a pleasant name for a training program that included fighting dragons and inferii while having instructors pound you with unforgivable curses. It was to start at noon sharp. Because of the time constraints, Harry would have to apparate from right outside the Hogwarts school grounds straight to the wilds of Salem, Massachusetts in the United States.

Of course, Salem was a place most unfavorable to witches and wizards. This made it a supposedly perfect place for them to learn how to deal with things trying to kill them. One of the few things Harry remembered from History of Magic class was that the Salem Witch Trials were really just caused by a young witch who was trying to catch an infuriatingly elusive little dog. Apparently, the little witch had accidentally stupefied a local village girl. One result was a lot of excited Muggles who killed several of their own. The second result was that the Wizarding World collectively decided not to expand to the New World. Except, of course, for New Orleans, but that was only to control all the vampires who seemed fascinated by the French Quarter.

"Those Yanks must be mad," he mumbled aloud and then hushed himself as an old woman peered over in his direction. She couldn't see him, of course, not in his invisibility cloak. She must have wondered about the mumbling patch of air that had floated by. Speaking of mad Yanks, he thought of Lance Mannington with a scowl.

Lance Mannington – what a ridiculous name. Those Americans must be a trifling lot. Never mind the fact that all the girls could not stop talking about how handsome and strong he was. Before he moved to Britain and realized he was magical, he had played a game in America called "Fooz-ball" or something like that. Apparently, it involved a bunch of large people running into each other at high speed while wearing suits of armor. Somehow, this was played predominantly in pubs and taverns while drinking large amounts of beer. Ridiculous!

He had overheard several of the people in the crowd speaking about Lance. They always spoke of how Lance Mannington was a fast learner for a foreigner. Harry had overheard one old woman twittering about how Lance had come into Hogwarts immediately after getting his British citizenship. Though seventeen years old, Lance was started with fourth year course work to help him catch up.

"A regular prodigy by the way he managed to take his O.W.L.s at the end of one-year and a year ahead of his schedule at that!" said one old admiring witch.

"And he qualified as a beater for the Hufflepuff Quidditch Team, don't you know?" replied her companion.

"Good to have someone from the colonies in the community, don't you think?" tweeted a third old dingbat. "It will strengthen the local blood."

"Oh yes! It will," said the first.

Harry hoped Lance fell off his broom.

Harry felt a little guilty wishing ill on a person he had never actually met. Harry had only seen him at a distance once today, his intensely striking face floating beatifically over the Weasley family at the graduation ceremony. Ginny had been smiling admiringly up at him.

Harry couldn't help feeling that way. The worst thing he had overheard was what all the girls spoke of: They were all jealous of Ginny Weasley. Apparently, she and Lance were the gossip of the school and Ginny the center of a very large witches' circle of envy.

"Bugger!" he muttered, contemplating the fickleness of women.

Harry had to see Ginny. He had not seen her since the battle with Voldemort and the Death Eaters. Ginny's sheer cheek in that battle was enough to keep the Daily Prophet full of stories about her for years to come. Since he defeated Voldemort, Harry had been lying unconscious at St. Mungo's for so long that he thought half the world had forgotten about him…or feared him. Harry prayed that Ginny had not forgotten him nor feared him.

In fact, Harry had just woken up that morning. He had awoken just in time to sneak from the hospital so he could see Ron and Hermione graduate from Hogwarts. Apparently, despite all of the class work they had missed while tracking the Horcruxes and battling the Death Eaters, and despite the fact that Harry had technically not attended school this year, they all received diplomas.

"I guess killing the Dark Lord and capturing twenty of his minions counts for something after all," he muttered. Another guest gave a startled look at another talking patch of air.

Still, it had been strange watching Hermione and Ron accept his diploma for him – almost like being dead. And of course, a lot of people still believed he was dead. After all, a seventeen year old disappearing via portkey with the most powerful dark wizard of all time - and reappearing alone a short while later - had half the Wizarding World believing Harry had been killed, and the other half believing Voldemort had possessed him.

But Harry knew. He knew Voldemort was dead by Harry's own hand. Somehow, that should bring him joy, but all he felt was sadness. Harry felt sadness at all of the lives that the victory had cost. Blinking rapidly as he always did when thinking of Dumbledore or his parents, he moved through gaps in the crowd, being careful not to touch anyone lest they realize someone was there, and trying to get away from the spot where he had made another talking patch of air.

When Harry awoke that morning, he also realized that the timing was crucial and that today would be his last chance to escape from St. Mungo's. The A.T.E. started the next day, and if Harry did not get there for the start of the program, the ministry would keep him out of it for at least a year. Furthermore, he would need to see Ginny today, because the A.T.E would last for 13 weeks, with no contact with the outside world. After that, Harry would have a brief break for personal time, and then he would begin his three years of additional training.

Thus, Harry had dug under his bed at the hospital and found his trusty invisibility cloak lying there, providing a means for an easy escape. Even with all the extra security around him since his time at Hogwarts and his adventures over the last several years, he found it a wonder that nobody ever seemed to take his father's invisibility cloak into account.

Here he had stood, watching the graduation ceremonies through the day in his invisibility cloak, waiting to get a glimpse of Ginny, and to speak to Ron and Hermione alone. But since seeing Ginny with the American bloke, and since seeing Ron and Hermione on the graduates' stage, he had not seen any of them. He finally reckoned that he should make his way back to the dormitories. It was the most likely place to find them all.

The Weasleys would all stay until the next day. Harry had overheard one of the crowd speak about how Mr. Weasley was still not well since defeating Lucius Malfoy in single combat, but that he was getting better. Apparently, deflecting a poorly aimed killing curse still sapped your energy for a time. Therefore the Weasleys would take the Hogwarts Express back with Mr. Weasley being too weak to apparate.

Also, Hermione would have no choice but to take her parents back by the Hogwarts Express. Regulations forbade taking Muggles when apparating. Apparently, Muggles either ended up deaf or with a permanent squeezed look to their features, or both. Odd that.

He sighed, thinking of Ron and Hermione. He could tell from their behavior on the graduates' stage that they were in a row again.

Hermione had looked striking today with her face made up and her normally bushy hair straightened and framing her face like a cloud. She was the essence of proud competence as she walked across the stage to receive her diploma. The smile she had beamed when taking it from Professor McGonagall's hands was truly lovely. Her valedictory speech had been cogent and entertaining, but blessedly brief. She had become a quite beautiful and brilliant young woman. Harry had heard many of the young men in the crowd noting her appearance with appreciation, and some rude comments. Harry had noticed Ron looking at her wistfully.

Harry wondered what caused this recent spat between Hermione and Ron. They had seemed on the verge of getting together all year. At Bill's wedding last summer they had disappeared to take a walk together for a while after the toasts, and then had danced all of the slow songs together at the end of the reception. Hermione had rested her head on Ron's chest the whole time, both of them looking…well…happy, actually. Ron's mother was so pleased that she had paid the band twenty-five galleons to play an extra hour, and nothing but slow songs.

Also, they had done little kind things for each other whenever Harry had seen them. Ron did things he would never have done before, like getting Hermione little books. Harry had seen Ron stand at a book dealer for a full two hours deliberating on which magical history book Hermione would like best. There was no particular occasion for the gift that Harry could see, but Ron had mysteriously mumbled something about it having been "six months." Ron had ended up buying one of the most ornate and expensive volumes in the shop, and had spent his last knut on the thing. Hermione had gushed over the book for days.

Harry had also seen Hermione agonize for weeks over a Christmas gift for Ron, and she had finally settled on a replacement pair of Quidditch keeper's gloves. Ron had accidentally transfigured his other gloves into a pair of five-headed slugs that had quickly begun to mate and produce ten-headed offspring. Hermione had embroidered something on the wrist cover of each of the gloves, but Ron would not let Harry see what it was. Ron had been ecstatic with the gift.

However, Ron and Hermione never talked with Harry as if anything had happened between them, and Harry had a feeling there had been a lot more going on that they were not telling him about. For example, Harry could have sworn that he had once interrupted them kissing when he apparated into the headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix. Also, Hermione and Ron had both worn dreamy looks on their faces for weeks after the Yule Ball held at Hogwarts this past year. The dreamy looks had increased each time he had mentioned one of them to the other. The final suspicious thing was that over the last few months Ron had begun talking about his future a lot and about being "worthwhile."

Harry guessed that while he had been in the hospital, the couple's sputtering romance had never managed to get off the ground. In fact, it appeared to have crashed into the earth.

Ron had been a sight to see up on the stage today. He was wearing the most recent fashionable dress robes and had a fifty galleon haircut. He had also had a covey of girls following him around before the ceremonies. Ron had even looked mildly annoyed at them instead of strutting like a peacock, as he normally would have.

"Imagine that! Ron – with girls chasing him like puppies," thought Harry incredulously.

Ron had grown even taller in the last year while the rest of the seventh year boys seemed to have reached their peak. He was over 195 centimeters tall, as he kept annoyingly reminding everyone. He had also put himself through a thorough physical fitness program all year to make him a better keeper, and he wasn't that shy of the American bloke in pure muscle. While Ron still had his shockingly red hair, at least his head no longer seemed to be on fire. He looked more…aflame…would be the better way to put it. Harry had even heard people calling Ron by the nickname "Ronald Caparossa," whatever that was supposed to mean. But Harry knew Ron was still Ron when Harry saw the hideously gaudy gold medallion hanging around Ron's neck on stage.

If Harry had to guess, he would bet that the Quidditch contract had come through for Ron after all. That would explain all the fancy things Ron was wearing.

Harry had only managed to see one Quidditch match last year, but it was THE MATCH. "The Professional vs. Academic Quidditch Exhibition," the ministry had dubbed it. "An exhibition to lift the spirits of the Wizarding Community in these dark times," had hooted the announcer at THE MATCH. There had been professional scouts present and everything.

Ron had been brilliant. Not a single quaffle had made it past him. Ron had even managed to deflect a quaffle and a bludger into Krum at the same time, knocking Krum off his broom for the first time in his professional career. The all-stars of the magical academies had beaten the professionals, thanks to Ron's brilliant goal play, and the fact that Ginny had caught the snitch, having replaced Harry as Seeker in his absence.

Yes, things were certainly looking up for the Weasleys, that was for sure. Half the talk of the crowd was what a hero Mr. Weasley had been in defeating the most powerful of Voldemort's followers single handedly. Everyone was looking forward to the imminent publication of his book (rumored by Rita Skeeter to be a tell-all about his love-child with Professor Sprout) once work at the ministry slowed down. Weasley's Wizard Wheezes, despite the recent hard times, was fast growing into an international wizarding business conglomerate under Twin's able guidance. Add to that Ron's status as a soon-to-be renowned professional athlete, and Ginny's too, probably, after she graduated next year, and the Weasleys were soon to become one of the richest and most famous wizard families in recent memory.

Harry crushed down a stab of envy ruthlessly. He could never hold anything against the Weasleys…ever. He also could not regret the course his life had taken over the last year…even about Ginny.

"But still," thought Harry, "if I had been at school and able to play in THE MATCH…"

He did wish the Weasleys all of the luck and wealth in the world. Since his first year at Hogwarts, they had cared for him at times and made him a member of their family…almost. Ron and George and Fred, particularly Ron, were like brothers to him…almost. He was as annoyed with Percy as every other Weasley…almost. They were almost his family. He fumbled in his pocket and felt the velvet case inside.

"Almost," thought Harry.

As Harry walked back towards the school from the graduation field he decided to skirt the fringes of the Forbidden Forest to be conveniently out of the crowd of people streaming in that direction. As he walked, he thought of Hermione again and all of the Weasleys' good fortune.

If Harry remembered correctly, after THE MATCH Hermione had seemed a little hurt as Ron chatted up the scouts, the reporters, and the girls from the other wizarding schools. Harry had been standing next to Hermione and had heard her mumble, "…losing him."

To Harry's recollection, Ron had been quite morose before and after that match as well. Before the match, Ron had kept grumbling, "I'll show her and that Krum."

After THE MATCH, Harry had heard Ron mumble, "…she'll be sorry when I get that contract."

Harry did remember seeing Hermione laughing and talking with Krum before and after THE MATCH while Ron was amid his group of reporters, and he remembered the hurt and angry looks Ron shot in their direction. Most likely that little situation had snowballed into an all-out war, as such things had a tendency to do between those two.

Unfortunately, Harry had not paid much attention. He had been a little too distracted when Ginny had seen him and given him a small wave from across the crowd at THE MATCH. Then she had walked off and joined the crowd of admirers around the American bloke, who had had quite a match, himself, actually. Harry ground his teeth.

And of course, the Death Eaters had used the award ceremonies after THE MATCH as an opportunity to attack the most notable wizards all gathered in one place. That, of course, led to the battle with Voldemort and his followers shortly thereafter. Hermione and Ron must not have had an opportunity to talk out whatever ill feelings THE MATCH had caused.

On that day before the attack of the Death Eaters, Harry had actually talked to Ron a little bit about today. Not today in particular, but what Harry was doing today. What Harry had been dreaming of, really, for the last year since he left Ginny so he could do what he had to do. He had wanted to feel Ron out about it, and get Ron's blessing in a way.

"Well, Mate," Ron had said, "if you ever live through Voldemort, I am sure you can live through that. Besides, she's seventeen now and she can make her own decisions." Ron had been wearing a pensive frown at the end of their conversation and Harry had heard Ron mumble, "Interesting. Very interesting idea."

Harry hated not having been with Ginny for the past year. He hated it. But she would forgive him. She had to. If he had needed another reason to hate Voldemort, this last year of loneliness and heartache would be it. He had been separated from Ron and Hermione for a large part of the year as they had spent a good part of the year actually at the school doing research while Harry chased down other clues on Voldemort's trail. He had only caught glimpses of Ginny the entire year.

It was particularly painful to think about since all of Harry's noble gestures amounted to nothing. Ginny had been there in the battle fighting along with the the Order of the Phoenix, anyway. She was right in the middle of the danger. Dealing jinxes out to the Death Eaters while dodging their counterstrokes like a fox making a fool of the hunter.

He was so stupid to have tried to "protect" her by breaking up with her - a ridiculously grand gesture. But today he would put that right, or at least go down with another very grand gesture.

Thinking about the battle again, Hermione and Ron's situation was even more confusing; given the last time Harry had seen them. Just as Harry had lunged at Voldemort with the portkey that took them both to the Crucible of the Magus for their final duel, he had seen a very touching scene between them. If Harry's memory could be trusted, he remembered Ron and Hermione battling side by side against the Death Eaters.

As Harry had rushed towards Voldemort with the portkey, Harry saw Ron throw himself in front of a Cruciatus Curse aimed at Hermione's back. Just as Harry reached Voldemort, Harry saw Ron lying senseless at Hermione's feet while she stood over him protectively, holding off four Death Eaters with a set of intricate shields and counter-jinxes that would have left Dumbledore stunned. Her face had been awash in tears.

It seemed odd to Harry that such a romantic scene did not come to anything thereafter, but he had overheard people in the crowd talking about how those in the Order had been "detained" after the battle. Those oafs at the ministry were a bit nonplussed at how the misfit followers of the deceased Dumbledore had apparently managed to defeat the Dark Lord. Particularly since the ministry's resources had not even succeeded in finding him. Perhaps his friend's detention had hampered their ill-fated love affair.

Suddenly, Harry saw Hagrid lumbering in his direction, no doubt making his way to his cabin. Before he could think about it, Harry dodged behind a thicket. A useless gesture, since he was invisible anyway, and all Harry did was make the thicket shake and move and draw attention. Hagrid did not notice, however, as he walked past humming merrily. He looked content for the first time since Dumbledore had been killed. Harry smiled to see his friend happy again.

As Harry disentangled himself, he pulled off his invisibility cloak and tried to remove it from the thorny thicket without tearing it.

"I'm a bloody idiot sometimes," mumbled Harry, upbraiding himself.

"Yes, but only when you try to be noble," said a voice like music behind him.

Harry smelled an all too familiar flowery scent as he slowly turned around. Ginny stood there in a green dress which showed her shoulders, and made her mane of ginger colored hair seem a sunset crown on her alabaster skin. The dress was made of a light and airy material that moved slightly in the gentle breeze and showed a hint of her femininely athletic form.

Harry stammered incoherently as he quickly pulled leaves from his disheveled hair. "Ginny…uh… Hi!... uh…you look great…really great," he said lamely. His visions of dramatically sweeping off his cloak to reveal himself to her and catching her as she swooned into his arms crumbled to little pieces in his mind.

Ginny put her hand on her hip and looked at him closely. He noticed her wand was inconspicuously tucked into the drawstrings of her dress around her slim waist.

"You are you, aren't you?" she asked pointedly. "You're not a Dark Lord in disguise, or anything."

He stuck his hand in his pocket and felt for the case to make sure it was still there. It was.

"Uhh…yeah… it's me… listen, I need to talk to y oommmphh!"

He was cut off as Ginny threw herself into his arms, and planted a very good kiss on his mouth. "Good" was not quite the word for it. In fact, she kissed him so deeply, he thought about returning to St. Mungo's immediately for treatment. Perhaps that romantic image did not need to crumble after all.

She pulled back from him, her breathing slightly quickened, and smiled at him a little poisonously. "If you ever do that to me again, I'll do to you what Neville did to Bellatrix Lestrange. Do you know what I went through this year? Do you have any idea? I was so distraught, I actually thought of slipping you a love potion while you were unconscious at the hospital. Well it doesn't matter now. Voldemort's gone and you're….don't say anything!" she said, holding a finger up to him.

He quickly shut his mouth and swallowed what he was about to say with a small choking sound. He was surprised. She had looked almost fearful when she had held her finger up to him. She couldn't possibly be afraid that he didn't want her, could she?

"Does this thing still work?" she asked, picking up the cloak from the ground. "It's not torn or anything, is it?" She turned away from him to hold it up to the sun to see if any holes were illumined by the sunset.

He took this opportunity to walk up behind her and wrap his arms around her shoulders. He nuzzled his face into her hair at her neck and inhaled that sweet flowery smell of her, one of his three favorite smells in the world. It had been far too long. He felt her relax and lean back against him and she held his arms with her hands.

"I love you, Ginny, and I swear I will never do that to you again," whispered Harry into her beautiful fiery hair.

She turned in his arms and kissed him tenderly. When she pulled back, her eyes were shining.

"I have wanted to hear that for…I was worried that…I love you too," she said.

He hugged her close for a moment and put his hand in his pocket again, but then she let out a little cry, and he pulled his hand back out of his pocket.

Pulling away in a sudden hurry, Ginny scooped up the cloak and grabbed Harry by the hand.

"Listen, we'll have to finish this later, and we WILL finish this later, but we have to hurry or we're going to be late. We have to get to the common room ahead of them," she said in a rush.

"Wha…" began Harry, feeling completely off-balance.

"Are you sure that we can use this thing safely?" she asked, hefting the cloak.

"Uh, what? Yes, yes it's fine," he said flustered and disappointed that their reunion was so short-lived. "We're going to be late for what?"

"Trust me," Ginny said laughing. "No matter what, you will not want to miss this for the world. 'It will be a very grand gesture,' he said. Hah!"

She threw the cloak over the two of them, and, invisible, they made their way out of the fringe of the dark forest towards the school. Most of the crowd had broken up by this point, and the greater portion of the student body still at Hogwarts and their guests were in the grand hall for the reception.

Becoming intoxicated under the cloak by her closeness and her infectious mood, Harry allowed himself to be pulled along with her. With her! He could almost laugh if he did not need to remain quiet for stealth's sake.

"But what don't I want to miss? And how did you know I was there? And who is this Larry Mandibleton that I keep hearing about with you," he whispered, and the last part with a little heat.

Ginny stopped dead and looked at him seriously. "Answering in reverse order, Lance Mannington is simply a nice American boy who is in need of friends in a strange land. There are a lot of rumors floating around about us, but we have never been anything but friends…ever. You of all people should know about rumors and I hope now you know that I have spent the last year pining for you, as I hope you have for me."

Harry blinked, abashed.

"Secondly," she continued, "I heard a patch of air saying, 'Bugger!' and the news since this morning is all about how you 'wandered' from St. Mungo's, and how you should be restrained 'for your own protection.' Ministry gits!"

Harry grinned.

"Thirdly….well…you will have to see it to believe it. I will have to see it to believe it."

She grabbed Harry's hand again and sped them through one of the many secret entrances to the school.

As they moved invisibly towards this mysterious rendezvous, Ginny explained a bit. "Ron bounced it off me beforehand and I think my mouth hit the floor. He told me he got the idea from a friend."

She eyed Harry warily from the corner of a very pretty green eye before saying, "And I want to be there to make sure he does not screw it up. Hurry! I'll explain more when we get to the common room"

Utterly confused, Harry put his hand in his pocket again, and pulled it back out. This was not going at all like he had planned. Content to be near her, he let her pull him along and decided to enjoy the ride.

They approached the portrait of the Fat Lady on the way into the Gryffindor quarters and, checking to make sure the corridor was empty, removed the cloak. The Fat Lady was now dressed in a splendidly huge cap and gown for graduation day. Harry suddenly realized that since he was technically not a student, the Fat Lady would not let him in. As they approached, however, she furtively glanced side to side, and stretched as if relaxing. As she did so, the door popped open a bit.

As Ginny and Harry slid through the doorway silently, the Fat Lady whispered, "Welcome back, Harry."

"Thanks," whispered Harry smiling as they stepped into the common room.

"Listen and I'll explain," Ginny said hurriedly. "They'll be here any minute. Hermione and Ron haven't told you this because they did not want to distract you with it, or make you uncomfortable. They were worried about you and knew you had to focus on tracking and battling Voldemort, so they haven't really told anyone. The only reason I know is because Hermione confided it to me in September and now she does not quite know how to deal with Ron and this Quidditch situation. Since THE MATCH and your battle with Voldemort, Ron has been signed to play with a pro team and he has seemed completely absorbed in it. It has Hermione quite upset, actually, and she is angry with him because he won't talk to her about their future or anything. She is convinced that he is going to leave her after graduation. She is a bit insecure, isn't she?

"Hermione herself was offered a position at the Magical Museum in London, but she is talking about moving away now, and taking some position in Bulgaria. She says she cannot stay here the way things are between them. Ron doesn't know this, but Viktor Krum…you remember him? Good. Well, Krum was the one who introduced her to the Bulgarian Sub-minister of Antiquities. I think Krum is just trying to rekindle something with Hermione. I can tell you this true, she is definitely not interested. But Ron, well, Ron is being Ron. He's a big oaf!"

Ginny took a deep breath and sighed. "I also think that Ron has wanted to keep their relationship secret because he doesn't quite know how to deal with it. I think any level of personal commitment to anyone besides you and his family is a bit impossible for him, actually. He has not been able to tell her that he loves her. Since the battle with Voldemort he has been very aloof and distant from everyone. With his focus on his Quidditch contract, I think he is trying to make sure that he is … 'worthy' of her, I suppose. And after she sat at his bedside for a week after the ministry released her!! He was laid up until then, you know, after that nasty Cruciatus Curse. He is such an insecure Clod!"

Ginny looked furtively at the door and cocked an ear as if listening. Hearing nothing, she continued. "Today being graduation, I did not know what would happen between them after. But this morning he bounced his idea off of me, and told me what he is planning. It was so cute the way he was embarrassed and stammering, but he knows how close Hermione and I have grown and he wanted some advice about how to do it. I am very proud of him..."

"Wait!" Harry interrupted, confused and a bit peeved at his two best friends keeping such secrets from him. He was also nonplussed about speaking of someone else's love affair when Ginny was right in front of him with that infuriatingly attractive grin on her face. "When did they start seeing each other? How serious is it? And should we really stay here to eavesdrop on this? It seems quite personal, to me."

Ginny looked a little ashamed. "Well, it is a bit rude, I suppose." Then she said determinedly, "But I am going to stay here to make sure that my idiot brother doesn't make a complete hash of it. I've been working on this all year!"

Ginny took another deep breath. "To answer your other questions, they started dating after Bill's wedding last summer, and it has gotten more serious as the year has gone along. Especially after Yule Ball when they….uh…well…uh…let's just say it has gotten very serious since the Yule Ball." Ginny made a slightly disgusted face. "Serious enough for Ron to buy an …." Ginny eyed Harry with a twinkle in her eye. "Well, serious enough for Ron to follow a friend's example, at least."

Suddenly they heard the Fat Lady asking, much more loudly than normal, "WHAT IS THE PASSWORD?!"

"Oh that's them," Ginny whispered mischievously. "After talking with Ron this morning, I asked the Fat Lady to warn me when they got up here. Back under the cloak!"

With that, she swept the cloak around them and they crouched against a wall. Harry felt another stab of annoyance at even the Fat Lady knowing more about what was going on then he did, but he hunkered down quietly and waited.

Ron walked into the common room looking very nervous. He kept straightening his new dress robes and looking in the Common Room stand mirror, muttering, "Bloody Hell." After a few minutes, he began pacing back and forth, and whispering to himself; practicing his speech to Hermione obviously. Harry could not quite make out what Ron was saying to himself, but he caught the words "Hermione" and "Quidditch" in the monologue.

"Uh oh!" Ginny whispered. "He does not usually do well when he is this nervous."

The Common Room door clicked open and Hermione walked in. She still looked striking and she carried an armload of books in front of her, a bit protectively. "Hello, Ronald," Hermione said coolly.

"Uh…Hi, 'Mione. Wow! You look great, just great. Congratulations on graduating," Ron said nervously with a crooked smile.

"And you too," responded Hermione awkwardly.

They then stared at each other as an excruciating silence stretched.

"Well, won't you sit down?" Ron asked lamely.

"I'll stand, thank you. Why did you pass me a note to come up here to meet you?" Hermione asked, placing her books on a nearby table and crossing her arms in front of her.

"Well…um…okay…well…listen, I know you've probably been wondering why I've been so busy these past few weeks, and a bit…um…unavailable," said Ron.

Ginny whispered, "He is doing this badly, I think."

"Haven't really noticed, actually," Hermione said smiling absently. "I've been trying to play catch up myself, actually. And I know you have your Quidditch situation to deal with, actually."

"You haven't noticed?" Ron mumbled, looking a little crestfallen. Then he went on more strongly saying, "Well…um… I've wanted to talk to you about a few things."

Hermione looked like she was steeling herself. "Well, go ahead then."

"Okay. Well … are you sure that you don't want to sit down? No? Okay, then. Well, you've probably heard I was signed by Manchester, you know, for Quidditch. It was in the papers and you always read the 'Prophet', and all…"

"No, I hadn't really paid attention to tell you the truth. I never read the sports pages," said Hermione airily.

Ron looked a little more crestfallen, and a little more nervous, if that was possible.

"They are both insecure prats, I tell you!" Ginny whispered angrily.

Ron made another sally. "Well, they signed me to a contract. A really good one actually, what with the way I played in THE MATCH, and all. I got a big signing bonus, you see, so I have a bit of money." At this, he stuck his hand in his pocket, and fumbled with something. "They want me to start their training period this summer. We start in a week, actually, so this is the last chance I may have to do this. I wanted to do it in a better place."

Ron shrugged a bit embarrassed.

"At least I knew it would be private here with everyone downstairs for the graduation feast."

"Umm hmmm…" said Hermione, picking a piece of non-existent lint off of her dress robes in an overly nonchalant fashion.

"It should be pretty brilliant, really," Ron continued. "There will be reporters and everything, and all the famous players…including me, I guess, now."

Ron paused and gave a self-conscious laugh, looking down and running his hand through his hair.

"Don't forget all the groupies, Ron," Hermione said with an acid smile.

"Well, there are those," said Ron, looking up with a confused frown. "But what I brought you up here to say was that this will be a big step for me now and…"

"Well that's good, Ron," Hermione interrupted with an odd crinkle in the corner of her eye. "I guess you didn't hear I was offered a few positions too."

Ron looked confounded. "Oh…No…I hadn't heard."

"Yes, I have," said Hermione. Her voice had risen a bit in pitch as she continued to attempt a nonchalant tone. "The one I want to take is a bit far away. So there is really no reason for us to do all this dramatic….well, anyway, I was offered a spot at the Bulgarian sub-ministry and….."

A dangerous glint caught in Ron's eye. "Bulgaria?" he interrupted.

Hermione looked at him with an almost comical degree of unconcern, "Oh Yes! Viktor had nothing to do with it. Well, actually he did put me in touch with one of the sub-ministers at THE MATCH. I mean he is there in Bulgaria, of course, but the Bulgarian Magical Museum has one of the best collections of ancient runes in Europe; second only to the one in London. They want me to be an assistant curator in Bulgaria which is higher than the position that I was offered in London. So it will be great, just what I've wanted." Hermione's voice had become a bit strained.

"Viktor?" asked Ron poisonously.

"Well, come on, Ronald," said Hermione, looking suddenly sad. "You said it yourself …a big step for you…a big step for both of us…time to move on and all that. This year has been great, of course. Wonderful, actually… but…"

Hermione trailed off. There was a catch in her throat, and she looked down at her feet, her hair covering her face. All affected unconcern slipped from her. "Oh! I can't do this," she whispered, anguish suddenly entering her voice.

"Prats!" Ginny spat.

"Well that's what I am trying to say, Hermione," said Ron cautiously, his hand in his pocket. "I think we need to move forward. I have this money now, and I'll be good in the pros. I know I will. It will be great, really, and even though I have all these other girls after me, now…."

"Not good," Harry whispered.

"Hermione, I want you to know that I want to share it with…"

"Shut up, Ron!" she interjected, a storm growing on her face. Hermione was definitely not unconcerned now. "What is the matter with you? Why are you doing this? Do you enjoy hurting me? Are you trying to gloat or something? What do you want me to say? You spent all year trying to snog me in every private corner of the school! And then after Yule Ball… just leave it! Are you trying to make me regret this whole year? You have your contract! Go play Quidditch if that's what you want! Be a big celebrity with all the girls! You don't have to be cruel about it!"

"That's not what I meant, Hermione. Just listen to me for a second and don't go mental for once," said Ron holding out his hands defensively.

"Mental?! Mental?!" Hermione said, her voice rising in anger. "You think I want to stand here and listen to you prattle on about your signing bonus and all these reporters paying attention to you? You think I like hearing all the other girls in school talk about how 'fanciable' you are now? Do you?!"

"No, no…that's not my point….They do, do they?" Ron asked with a slight grin.

"Uh oh!" Harry whispered.

Hermione shrieked and spun around to grab a cushion off of a chair and held it up threateningly at Ron, saying with deceptive calm, "Well you can have your girls and your reporters and your money, Ron, and your ridiculous medallion."

She reached out and flicked his medallion disparagingly, and said, "If that's what you want, I guess I'll just have to have Viktor, then."

Ginny whispered, a note of despair entering her voice, "Prats."

"But that's my point, I don't want…" Ron began, and then he darkened. "You mean Krum, don't you?"

"Uh oh!" Harry and Ginny whispered together.

"FINE!!" Ron roared, looking like an extremely purple faced lion. "Forget it!! Forget all about it!!"

Ron glared at Hermione, quivering with rage and hurt. Hermione backed away slightly as if she thought he might strike her. Instead he just stuck his hand in his pocket, turned on his heel and stalked to the steps to the boy's dormitories.

As soon as he was out of sight, Hermione literally burst into tears. She began gathering up her ever-present books (how did she have books on graduation day?) and was preparing to leave, her hands shaking terribly.

"Harry, we should go," whispered Ginny sadly.

"Okay," Harry replied.

"BLOODY HELL!!!!!!" roared someone from the boy's dormitories.

This was followed by the sound of fast and heavy footsteps coming towards the common room. Harry glanced at Hermione and saw books start slipping from her grasp as she tried to surreptitiously wipe the tears from her face.

When Harry saw Ron at the top of the stairs, Harry noticed his eyes. There was a look in Ron's eyes that Harry had only seen on four prior occasions: Once in a game of chess that Ron played for their lives. The second time was on the day that Ron played Keeper on the Gryffindor Quidditch team and thought he had taken a draught of Felix Felicis lucky potion. The third time was when Ron played in THE MATCH and did not allow a single score. The fourth time was when Harry saw Ron jump in front of that curse to protect Hermione.

"Actually," Harry whispered, "I think this about to get good." Harry fought down the urge to have a bit of popcorn.

As Ron stalked toward her, Hermione dropped the rest of her books on the floor. She grasped for a wand that was not on her belt, and said, "Ronald, I don't want to hear anything you have to sayyyyiee…Ronald! RON!"

She screeched that last as Ron bodily picked her up and put her sitting in a chair. Looking up at him in disbelief, Hermione sunk lower into the cushioning as Ron loomed over her. He had gotten quite large, actually.

"Hermione," Ron began calmly, but with his teeth grinding so hard that Harry could hear them squeak from across the room, "I am not very good at doing this, and everything I say around you seems to come out wrong half the time. So I want you to pretend…"

Hermione opened her mouth as if to protest, and Ron bellowed, "PRETEND!!!!!" She snapped her mouth shut with a click of her teeth.

He took a deep calming breath and continued softly, saying, "Please…please…pretend, that everything I say for the next five minutes makes you happy, not angry. That way I can get everything out that I am trying to say. If you are not happy at the end, or if you really want Krum, then I promise I will never bother you again. You have to remember that you are a lot smarter than me and you see meanings in my words that I don't intend, so please let me finish everything."

"Oooo, that was pretty good," Ginny whispered appreciatively.

"You have to promise to do that Hermione, because I have a lot to say to you, about seven years worth of things to say, actually, and I have been trying to pluck up the courage to do it for weeks. I know I am doing badly so far. I have received some very good advice today and that advice said that I should simply tell you everything I feel about you and us. So I am just going to lay it all out there."

"Atta boy!" whispered Ginny.

"So will you promise to do that, Hermione? Be quiet and listen, I mean?" asked Ron.

Hermione hesitated a moment, then nodded her head.

"Do you promise?" Ron asked again.

"Yes, Ronald," Hermione hissed impatiently.

Ron nodded and stuck his hand in his pocket and pulled it out again, then put his hand in and pulled it out a second time, taking several deep breaths.

"Hermione," Ron began, "when we were in that fight with the Death Eaters, I saw one of them about to lay a curse at your back. I knew you would not see it coming, and I was sure that it would be the killing curse. I knew at that moment that I had to protect you."

Hermione began to open her mouth a bit indignantly, but Ron said, "you promised." She closed her mouth again with a peevish glare.

Ron continued. "I didn't need to protect you only for you, because honestly you are better at protecting me. I wouldn't have lived through that fight except for you standing over me. I wouldn't have even gotten through this school without your help with every class."

"That's very good," Ginny whispered.

Harry saw Hermione's features softening as she looked up at Ron. Ron turned around and grabbed one of the common room tables and pulled it over closer to Hermione's chair. The table let out a prolonged harsh squeal of disapproving wood as Ron dragged it across the floor.

"Could've done without that, though," Harry whispered to Ginny, his teeth wanting to chatter.

"Sorry," Ron said as he sat down on the table. He was now eye level with Hermione, who was still sitting low in her chair.

"See, Hermione, at that moment when I saw them about to curse you, I knew that I would die, too. If you were killed, I would die right then, at that second…I'd be finished…I'd be done.

"That…would…be…it.

"So I threw myself in front of that curse, not because of any nobility on my part, mind you, but to save myself. Because, if I lost you, I would lose a part of myself….all of myself. Does that make any sense?"

"Perfect sense," said Hermione breathlessly, sitting up in the chair straight now.

Ron went on in a rush, looking into Hermione's face earnestly now. "Now after we got out of the hospital, and those stupid ministry people kept us apart for weeks, we came back here and then we visited Harry, poor bloke, but I couldn't talk about it because it was too much for me, when I jumped in front of the curse, I mean. I am no bloody hero and I couldn't believe I took that curse and I know that made you angry, me not talking I mean, and you thought I was snubbing you for Quidditch, and money and girls and all that rot, but it was really just because dealing with all that stuff, like how to spend my signing bonus and the girls smiling at me, and all that, see, that stuff is easy…but you're hard, you see.

"See, you used to be easy when we were little, you know, and we were just little first and second years running around a castle and all girls had bogeys and it was like you weren't a girl because we were mates, and I always thought you were a little know-it-all with bushy hair anyway. But see, now you're hard, because you're the prettiest girl I've ever met, and you're beautiful and kind and funny and I know you aren't a know-it-all, you are simply the most intelligent person I've ever heard of and you work harder than anyone else, and you've been way too nice to me over the years and your hair always looks great now.

"But see, I can talk about it now, the fight with the Death Eaters, I mean, because I realize that you are hard and I realize that it wasn't heroic what I did, it was selfish. It was selfish because it would be worse to live without you than to die…does that make sense?"

"Perfect sense," said Hermione tremulously, leaning forward in her chair towards Ron now.

Ron patted the outside of his pocket now, collecting his thoughts.

"I have been a child in a lot of ways…a nervous wreck of a child." Ron grimaced at himself. "I need to be a proper man now, because I know you deserve a proper man."

"Oh! That is excellent!" Ginny exclaimed patting Harry's arm excitedly.

Ron took a deep breath and sallied again. "I think that maybe the reason that things have been so tough recently is because you are so hard for me, and I think I am so hard for you and we need to figure out a way to make each other easy again. I mean, since Yule Ball," and he smiled a bit wolfishly, and Hermione reddened prettily, "we seemed to be real easy for awhile. It was wonderful, like you said, but as things have grown more serious between us, and as the end of school approached and I guess we were both wondering if we would stay together, and how do we tell our friends, especially Harry, and I've felt like such a loser because I know that anybody would be lucky to have you in their company or on their staff - or in their life - and all I'm really good at is Quidditch, and I didn't want to disappoint you. And also, I mean we've always argued, but when we were little, I don't really remember feeling so bloody miserable when you went mental and got angry with me or when you talked to other blokes like that bloody Krum, and after the fight with the Death Eaters I know that I would be miserable if you were with that bloody Krum, but as long as you were happy and alive, I would live with it and be glad for you, but if he hurt you, I would bloody kill the bastard. As long as you are okay, I would be okay…I guess…eventually, at least. Does all that make sense?"

"Perfect sense," Hermione said, her eyes shining, placing her hand on Ron's arm and leaning very close to him.

Ron rolled right along, saying, "So I want you to be easy again, but not easy like the girls who like Quidditch players. I mean really easy, you see. Like my family, they're easy, and Harry's like family too, so he is easy, and if you were family, you would be easy too. But my family, we've always been poor, but now, I got this contract, so I have money, and my family has money. We've always been as good as anybody…."

"Better than most, actually," interjected Hermione softly, putting her hand in Ron's hand.

"Really? Thanks, Hermione. But what I was saying is, we've got all this money, now, so it's not hard to live; and I get to play Quidditch to make it, the money, I mean; which I love, the Quidditch I mean….which is like my Dad, actually, because he always liked the work he did, with Muggles, I mean; and you and I are the same age my Mum and Dad were when…."

Ron hesitated, looking out of his depth.

"I think I'm getting a little ahead of myself, here, but my point is that the money doesn't matter to me except that I can use it to take care of my family like my Dad did. And the other girls, well, it is interesting to have the attention to be honest, but I don't even notice them when I'm with you and they don't matter either, do they, because you're the one that's hard, aren't you?"

He took a deep breath and his hands were shaking a bit, and Hermione took both his hands in hers.

"And the reporters, well that's pretty cool, actually, but that's just part of what I do for a living now, with the Quidditch, I mean; so it doesn't really matter, I mean the reporters by themselves. And this haircut and these fancy dress robes, they were my Mum's and Ginny's idea because I've always had such rubbish clothing before, but this gold medallion was my idea, but only because if you look really close it has ancient runes on it, so it reminds me of you, and I thought you might like to study it so that's why I bought it, actually."

At this point, Ron's inspiration deserted him, and he looked down at his hands, seeing them holding Hermione's hands. He looked up, suddenly startled, realizing how close Hermione was.

"Nothing is coming out right, is it?" said Ron despairingly.

Hermione smiled at him, a tear rolling down her cheek, and took his face in both her hands.

"Ronald, I am not certain of what all you have said, but I am quite certain that it has all come out perfectly."

Ron smiled a lopsided grin. "I love you, Hermione, more than anything, and…,"

"I love you, too," Hermione interrupted breathlessly, relief flooding her voice, and kissed him deeply.

"Ooooooooooooo, that was so brilliant!" Ginny whispered with laughter in her voice.

Ron wrapped his arms around Hermione and they kissed long enough for Harry to begin feeling uncomfortable.

"Maybe we ought to leave?" Harry whispered.

"No, no, there's more," Ginny replied, beaming for her brother from ear to ear.

"More…Bloody hell ... What more could there be?" Harry whispered amazed.

Ron and Hermione came up for air eventually, and Ron gently held Hermione's shoulders pushing her back a little as she tried to kiss him more, his confidence renewed and that look of determination in his eye again.

"Wait, I have more to say," Ron protested, laughing.

"I can't wait," Hermione said with a giggle.

"Well, now we're back to where you got mad at me before. I was telling you I got this signing bonus for joining the Manchester team, you see, and it was a lot of galleons…a lot! I used some of it for the hair and dress robes and our medallion, right. Everybody has been telling me how to spend it. Some people were telling me to buy a Firebolt with it. George and Fred want me to invest in their business. My Dad wants me to buy a sports car like a Muggle, probably just so he can study it. The way I figure it, you and I have known each other forever, and we know we love each other, so I bought something, well, two things, really, that nobody knows about, except maybe Harry…."

"Me?" Harry whispered.

"Well?" Hermione said, laughing giddily. "What did you buy, Ronald?"

Ron smiled, looking a little sickly. "I put a down payment on a new house…"

"An excellent investment!" Hermione cheered. "What else?"

Digging into his pocket and bringing his hand out in one smooth motion, Ron presented Hermione with a jewel encrusted engagement ring so big that it seemed to bathe Hermione's dumbstruck face in light.

"I bought you this so that you would live in our house…um…with me. I love you, Hermione and…" Ron stood up here and got down on one knee.

Hermione's hands began to flutter wildly as she fanned herself. Her eyes became as big as saucers. She looked for all the world like she had three O.W.L. exams scheduled at once. Actually, she sort of looked like an Owl.

"Oh my God!" she gasped.

"Will you marry me, Hermione? I know we're young, but…" said Ron in a voice heavy with emotion. Ron looked up at her with an expression of resolve mixed with pure, red-faced anxiety.

"Oh my God, oh my God, Yes, oh my God! Of course, oh my God, I will!" exclaimed Hermione, throwing her arms around him and nearly carrying both of them to the floor.

"Wait…the bloody ring, Hermione!" exclaimed Ron with his voice muffled by her shoulder. He was desperately trying to keep from tumbling backwards.

"Sorry! Oh my God!" she further exclaimed, righting herself.

Ron took the ring out of its box and placed it on her finger; all two and half karats worth of diamonds, fire drops and moonstones.

"O Ronald! Oh my God! It is beautiful! I had no idea…I was so…oh my God…it was so…I love you so…oh my God…and I was so convinced…and I can't believe…oh my God….and it's so BIG…and I love you so…"

Hermione, awash in tears and laughter, was by this point sitting on Ron's knee. Ron laughed too and they began kissing again in a somewhat serious fashion.

"Should we go?" whispered Harry, smiling brightly.

Ginny just sat there clapping her hands silently together. Her eyes were brimming and her shoulders shook with repressed laughter.

"Hermione," Ron began breathlessly, managing to pull himself away for a second, "we need to go downstairs and tell our parents."

"Yes," Hermione said, then kissed him again. "Yes, of course." She kissed him again. "My parents will think us too young." She gave him another deep kiss. "They are Muggles, after all."

Under Hermione's continued snogging, Ron was beginning to look like he no longer knew what a "parent" was. There was yet another deep kiss.

"They'll adjust," finished Hermione in a sensible tone of voice pulling back from Ron and smiling at him.

Ron grabbed her and crushed her to him, kissing her passionately. She leaned into him, responding enthusiastically, and Ron started to fall backwards. She let out a little cry as they toppled and she landed on top of him. Ron held onto her tightly.

"We'll go down after a few minutes, don't you think?" asked Hermione throatily.

"Whatever you say!" responded Ron, laughing.

Then they began kissing in a MOST embarrassing and serious fashion.

"Okay, now we definitely have to go," whispered Ginny.

As they silently slipped out of the common room, Ginny was looking a touch queasy from the display of affection involving her brother.

The Fat Lady asked, "Did she say yes?"

Harry looked up in surprise. "Uhhh…yes she did…how did you…well, never mind. But I wouldn't let anybody in there for about an hour or so. Could be embarrassing."

Ginny giggled.

"Oh my, what wonderful news!" preened the Fat Lady. The Fat Lady nearly swooned in her picture frame, but instead she ran to the next portrait to spread the news. Harry would not be surprised to hear that the whole school knew by the time the happy couple got to the reception.

Ginny exhaled whimsically. "You know, Harry, that was beautiful, but I feel sorry for my parents."

Harry walked along with a content smile on his face, patting the little case in his pocket. "Yeah, it was. But why would your parents care? They love Hermione. And they couldn't possibly think them too young; the age of majority in the Wizarding World is seventeen. Hermione's almost nineteen. Why, you could get married, even though you have one more year of school, or at least engaged." Harry felt his heart starting to beat.

She turned to face Harry, looking up at him under the cloak. She pulled him down to give him a long, heartfelt kiss.

Resting her head on his chest as they stood there on the stairway, she said, "That's not what I mean, Silly! My parents will lose two children in one year."

He looked at her sideways with a smile. "Why do you say that?"

"I told you, Harry! Ron said he got the idea from 'a friend'. That must mean you, because Hermione obviously didn't know, and all of his other friends are wankers," said Ginny looking at him pointedly.

She then exhaled whimsically again and said, "What I want to know is what you have in your pocket. If it is what I think it is, the answer is 'yes'. We just won't tell anybody until you are back from your A.T.E. We don't want to steal Ron's thunder. And, of course, we'll have to wait until after next year's graduation to have the ceremony."

Harry looked at her incredulously, marveling at the arcane witchcraft that allowed women to read men's minds without any Legillimency. He then bent to kiss her in a most serious and embarrassing fashion. Then laughing, there under the invisibility cloak, he reached into his pocket and began to sink to one knee. She giggled.

"Well," he thought, "if she reckoned Hermione's ring was pretty, she has not seen anything yet."

When Harry looked up into her eyes, he smelled flowers again, and saw the sun in Ginny's laughing smile. 


End file.
